Brenham, TX
Music connected to Brenham
About Brenham
- • Blues guitarist and singer, Blind Willie Johnson, was born in Brenham.
- • Blue Bell Creameries, a beloved Texas ice cream brand, originated here.
- • Being on the stagecoach route between Houston and Austin helped its growth.
- • Brenham is known as the "Official Home of Texas" due to its Star.
- • The devastating 1867 yellow fever epidemic severely impacted the population.
- • It was named for Dr. Richard Fox Brenham, a Republic of Texas hero.
- • With about 17,000 residents, it's small but bigger than Round Top.
- • A warm, welcoming, and nostalgic small-town atmosphere pervades.
- • Blues musician Blind Willie Johnson, known for "Dark Was the Night, Cold Was the Ground," was born here.
- • Blue Bell Creameries, now nationally recognized, originated in Brenham in 1907.
- • The Houston and Texas Central Railway established a depot, spurring growth and trade.
- • Brenham housed a German POW camp during World War II, located north of town.
- • The devastating 1909 fire destroyed much of downtown, prompting widespread rebuilding.
- • It's named for Richard Brenham, a Texas Revolution figure; established in 1844.
- • With roughly 17,000 residents, it's bigger than Navasota, but smaller than Bryan.
- • Sitting at 341 feet, it's noticeably hillier than the coastal plains to the southeast.
- • Manufacturing, especially related to Blue Bell, is a prominent part of the economy.
- • A comforting, slow-paced atmosphere permeates, evoking small-town charm and hospitality.
- • The local soils are primarily sandy loams and clay loams, remnants of ancient marine deposits.
- • The Brazos River basin influences the area's water resources.
- • White-tailed deer are commonly seen in the surrounding countryside.
- • Bluebonnets, the Texas state flower, bloom profusely in the spring.
- • The area was inhabited by Tonkawa and other indigenous groups before European settlement.
- • Brenham was incorporated as a city on January 27, 1873.
- • The Washington County Courthouse, a Romanesque Revival structure, was built in 1900.
- • U.S. Highway 290, a major east-west artery, passes through Brenham.